


New York to Pittsburgh

by Techgirl



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-23
Updated: 2013-04-23
Packaged: 2017-12-09 07:42:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/771735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Techgirl/pseuds/Techgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brian and Justin meet in New York and slowly get to know each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Beta by later2nite.

”Fucking piece of shit!” Justin yelled when yet another cab passed him and drove away.

Brian smiled and walked over when he saw the young guy struggling to get a taxi to pick him up. “Do you need some help?” 

At first glance, Justin shook his head. “No. Well, yes,” he quickly backtracked. “I could use a cab that doesn’t drive away the second I come near it.”

“Are you an artist?”

“What?”

Brian pointed to the art carrying tubes in Justin’s hands.

“Oh. Yes, I am.”

“Brian Kinney.” 

“Justin Taylor.”

Shaking hands awkwardly, they tried not to knock Justin’s things over.

“Could you?” Justin nodded towards the line of cabs.

“Where are you going?”

“The Out Hotel.”

“Me, too,” Brian said as they eyed each other. “Do you want to share a car?”

“Sure. Whatever gets me there today.”

Flagging down a cab, Brian helped Justin load his paintings and luggage into the trunk and backseat. “Shouldn’t you have an assistant?” he asked when they finally pulled away from the airport.

“I wish. But I’m not that good yet. I’m still trying to convince a few galleries to show my art.”

\----------

“But I made a reservation last week,” Justin sighed. “One night. Justin Taylor. Yes, I have a booking number.” He tried to get a hold of his wallet in his back pocket without dropping all the gear in his arms .

Standing alongside him at the hotel’s check-in counter, Brian reached over, pulled it out, and handed it to him.

Justin thanked Brian before he turned back to the desk.

“I’m sorry, but there’s been a mistake.”

“So get me another room.”

“We’re full.”

“Of course, you are.” Shaking his head, Justin started to collect his bags.

“Hey! Wait! I have a VIP suite; you can stay in it if you want to,” Brian offered.

“Are you sure? Thank you,” Justin said when Brian nodded, giving him a genuine smile.

Brian stared at his face as they made their way to the elevator. “So . . . tough day?” he asked when they stepped inside his suite.

“Unbelievable.”

“Do you want a drink?”

“Yes, please. Whatever you’re having is fine.” Walking around the room, Justin looked out the window. “This is a beautiful hotel. Have you stayed here before?”

“No. It’s new.”

“I know. I read about it last month and decided to stay here the next time I was in town.”

“Where are you from?” Brian asked.

“Pittsburgh.”

“Pittsburgh? Me, too. I haven’t seen you around.”

“I don’t go out very often. I spend most of my time painting now that I’ve finished school.”

“You went to PIFA?”

“Yes! You know about it?”

“I’m an ad exec.”

“Oh . . . so you’re _that_ Brian Kinney! I’ve seen your work. It’s excellent.”

“Thanks.”

“Do you want to have dinner with me?” Justin asked when he’d put away his things.

“I don’t do dates, and I don’t eat this late.”

“Okay.” Glancing at his watch, Justin thought 7:30 wasn’t that late. “Right. I’ll try to be quiet tomorrow morning. I have an early appointment.”

\----------

Arriving back at the hotel late, Justin went straight to bed and fell asleep within minutes, although he woke hours later when the suite’s door opened. Hearing voices, he peeked out of his room and silently watched Brian undress with a guy wrapped around him. Justin closed the door seconds later and climbed back in bed - trying not to think about what he’d just seen: Brian’s long, lean body and the hard stomach muscles that lead to his cock. Inching a hand down to his dick, Justin rubbed it slowly, listening to Brian and his trick on the other side of the door. The sound of Brian moaning over and over again while he apparently got sucked drove Justin crazy. Finally throwing the cover to the floor, he started to jerk off.

The sounds changed, the trick gasping when Brian entered him. Justin tried to imagine what it would feel like to be fucked by Brian. Quickly sucking on his fingers, he pushed two of them inside himself, pretending the head of Brian’s cock was stretching him open. Hearing Brian grunt loudly when he came, Justin sped up and shot on his chest. Minutes later, he dried himself off when he heard Brian tell the trick to leave and fell back to sleep.

\----------

In the morning, Justin took a quick shower and ran into Brian as he walked out of the bathroom. “I’m done. The bathroom’s all yours.”

Noticing the bulge under his towel grow when he stared at his body, Brian pushed Justin up against the wall and kissed him hard. He pressed his body against Justin’s to ensure their cocks met. “Are you leaving this early?” he asked, his mouth hot against Justin’s neck.

Justin nodded.

“Meet me back here at noon.”

Giving another nod, Justin kissed Brian one more time and walked into his room.

\----------

Justin came rushing through the door at eleven.

Looking up from his papers, Brian walked over to him. “You’re early.”

“A gallery wants to show some of my paintings!”

Brian smiled at his excitement. “That’s great!”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s celebrate,” Brian said, wrapping his arms around him. 

\----------

Justin pushed Brian down on the bed and hurriedly undressed. He unbuttoned Brian’s shirt and pulled his pants off. Straddling his legs, he took both of their cocks in his hand and stroked them hard.

“Hey, take it easy. I’m the top here.”

“I know. I heard you fuck last night.”

Brian stared at him. “You did?”

“Uh huh. You were right outside my door. It was a fucking turn-on!”  


“Yeah? You liked what you heard?” Moving his hips upward, he fucked Justin’s hand with his cock.

“It made me horny.”

“You should have joined us.”

“I kind of did.” Justin smiled at the memory.

“You watched?”

“No. I jerked off,” he whispered, Brian moaning at the image. Justin pressed his cock against Brian’s. “Would you mind to stop talking and just fuck me?”

Brian laughed and flipped them over, his hands all over Justin’s body, touching every inch of him. Reaching for the lube, he made sure to prepare Justin before he rolled on a condom and entered him with one long, hard thrust.

Justin arched his back, grinding his ass against Brian’s cock. Taking a hold of his waist, he pulled them even closer together, enjoying the way his cock rubbed between their bodies.

Bending forward, Brian kissed Justin roughly. He wrapped his arms around his chest, forcefully pounding into him. When he felt Justin cum on their stomachs, he let go and shot his load hard. Carefully pulling out, he threw away the condom and fell down on the bed, trapping Justin under him. They kissed again, and then Brian rolled off, lying down next to him.

Talking about the small gallery that wanted to show a few of his paintings, Justin was still so excited and he spoke of his art with such passion that Brian couldn’t help but smile at him. When he finally finished and started to get up, Brian pulled him down again. 

“One more time?” Brian asked, kissing Justin’s face.

Justin quickly put a condom on Brian’s dick and stroked him with a light touch, causing Brian to squirm and demand that he do it harder and faster. Straddling his chest, he inched further down until Brian’s cock rubbed his crack, slumping forward and rubbing himself on it.

Pulling Brian’s arms over his head, Justin bent down and licked his nipples, sucking one of them into his mouth and biting it lightly. Moving over to the other one, he pushed his rock-hard cock into the muscles on Brian’s stomach. He shifted around until he felt the head of Brian’s dick against his hole, both of them groaning when he slowly sank down onto it. Not giving either of them a chance to adjust, Justin began to ride him hard.

“God, you’re an amazing bottom!” Brian said when Justin rotated his hips and slammed down on him. He watched Justin jerk his own cock and rub his nipples, never losing eye contact with him. “Fucking hot!” he panted as Justin sped up his movements and shot all over Brian’s chest. The sight of Justin’s cum on his skin had Brian arching his back and cuming deeply inside him.

\----------

A month later, Brian saw an article in the Post-Gazette about a former PIFA student’s art show at a gallery in New York. He smiled when he learned it was Justin and read that he’d received great reviews, deciding that he’d visit the show when he got there the following week. 

Walking around the gallery, Brian noticed that some of Justin’s paintings were already sold. He picked out one of the largest ones for his office.

“Do you know the artist?” the girl asked when he paid and made arrangements for it to be sent to Pittsburgh.

“No, not really.”

Seconds later, Justin came through the door, smiling at the girl. “Hi!”

“Hi! You just sold another painting.”

“I did?”

“This man here bought it.”

Justin looked at Brian for a second until he recognized him. “Hey! You bought one? Which one?”

“You shouldn’t sound so surprised. Your art is exquisite.”

“Thanks. I’m not there yet, but maybe one day . . .” Justin asked Brian how long he was staying in the city after they’d stepped outside.

“Just one night.”

“I know you don’t do dates, but do you want to go out for a drink tonight?”

Brian smiled at him. “Sure.”

“Where are you staying? The Out?”

“Yeah. You, too?”

Justin nodded. “I’ve been going back and forth for the last month. I should find a place to stay, but it’s too expensive.”

Before they parted, they made plans to meet at the hotel bar at eight.

\----------

Justin noticed Brian sitting in the corner and flirting with a waiter when he walked into their meeting place. Finding a seat at the bar, he ordered a drink.

“Hey!” Brian joined him minutes later.

“Hi!” Justin smiled. “I didn’t want to interfere. You looked kind of busy.” 

Brian shook his head. “Just passing the time.”

Moving over to a table, they were soon caught up in a discussion of art and advertising, both men surprised at how much the other knew about the subjects. Two hours later, Brian realized he’d actually had a good time, slinging his arm around Justin’s waist and walking them toward his room. “I wanna fuck you,” he said as soon as he closed the door. A second later, Brian was all over Justin, shoving his cock against his stomach.

Justin moaned. “Take me hard,” he whispered.

Yanking Justin into the bedroom, Brian threw him down on the bed and entered him from behind, pulling out, sliding back in, and spanking him all at the same time.

Justin trembled under him. “God, yes! More!”

“You really are a bossy bottom.”

“Shut up!” Justin pushed back against him, angling himself so Brian’s cock hit his prostate. “Brian, come on!”

Brian laughed and slapped him harder, gripping his hips to fuck him roughly. He raised a hand to Justin’s hair and pulled at it.

“Again, Brian!” Justin yelled. “Do it again.”

Brian’s hits rained down on Justin’s ass, his inner thighs, and the small of his back. He held still, watching Justin fuck himself on his cock, his red ass moving faster and faster and his body shaking. Brian placed a hand on his back to still him and slammed inside him forcefully. He reached around Justin and jerked his wet cock till they both came hard.

“That was amazing!” Justin said, turning around and pulling Brian down on top of himself.

\----------

Hooking up from time to time when they ran into each other in New York, it’d been weeks since they’d last seen each other. After hours of thinking, Justin sent Brian an invitation to the opening of his art show in Pittsburgh.

Brian read the invite twice, finally deciding what to do and picking up the phone. “Lindsay, do you want to go to an art show on Saturday?”

“I’d love to, but Mel is out of town. Do you think Gus can come with us?”

“Sure. It’s in the middle of the day.”

Justin grinned when Brian walked into the gallery. His fingers itched to undress him when he saw that Brian was still in his work clothes. Seconds later, he noticed the blonde woman with him and the kid holding both their hands.

“Thanks for inviting us!” Lindsay smiled at Justin when Brian introduced them. Hoisting Gus up into her arms, she walked towards the paintings.

“I hope you’ll like them,” Justin told her, turning to some other guests.

Brian stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, do you want to get something to eat after the show?”

“Like a date?” Justin giggled when Brian glared at him.

“Like dinner!”

“Sure. Can you stay, or will you meet me later?”

“I’ll stay.” Brian ran his finger across Justin’s neck, then he caught up with Lindsay and Gus.

\----------

“These paintings are boring!” Gus said loudly when the three of them found Justin again.

“Gus!” Lindsay tried to stifle him before he said anything else. “Sorry,” she mouthed to Justin.

“I guess he’s right,” Justin laughed. “What do you like, Gus?”

“Cars, elephants, and Daddy! He’s really tall and strong.”

“He is.” Justin smiled, scribbling on a piece of paper while he continued to talk to them.

“We need to leave,” Lindsay said a few minutes later. “I promised Gus we’d go to the playground.”

“Here you go, Gus.” Justin handed him the drawing he’d made of Brian walking beside an elephant with Gus riding on its back.

“You didn’t have to,” Lindsay said.

“It’s okay.” Justin said good-bye to Gus, who waved his drawing in front of him. Then he turned to Brian. “So, you have a kid.”

“Yeah.”

“He’s adorable.”

“I know.”

“Do you have shared custody?”

“No. He lives with his moms.”

“That must be hard.”

“Not at all. It’s what we agreed on before he was born.”

“Oh.”

“Look . . . it’s no big deal. They wanted a kid; I jerked off into a cup, and they squirted it up her.”

Justin wrinkled his nose. “How romantic.”

“I don’t do romance.”

“Of course, not.”

\----------

“Did you find a place in New York?” Brian asked when they’d ordered their food.

“No. I decided to wait. It’s too expensive. I can paint here and travel there a couple of nights a month for business.”

“Do you have a studio here?”

“No. It’s an apartment with a spare bedroom that I use as a studio.”

“Must be crowded.”

“Yeah, and messy as hell. Everything’s covered in paint, and my clothes stink of turpentine.”

Brian nuzzled his neck. “More like . . . sawdust?”

Justin laughed. “Yeah, I tried to make a new kind of frame this morning.”

“Fucking hot.”

“What? That I smell of sawdust?”

“That you make stuff with your hands.” 

\----------

Lindsay called Brian at work. “We’re having a dinner for everyone on Sunday. Do you want to come?”

“Sure.”

“You can bring Justin if you like.”

Brian stared at the phone. “Why the fuck would I do that?” he finally asked.

“I thought you two dated.”

“I don’t do dates,” Brian sighed. “You should know that.”

“Gus keeps asking for him. He even brought the drawing to school.”

“I have no idea where he is. I haven’t talked to him since his art show opening. It’s been weeks.”

“I’m sure you can find him.” Lindsay giggled when she heard Brian mutter something as he hung up.

Brian pinched the bridge of his nose then hit the intercom button. “Cynthia, find Justin Taylor for me. He’s an artist.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Hi. It’s Kinney. I’ll be at your place in a few minutes. Can I come in?”

“Sure.” If Justin was surprised that he called, he didn’t say anything about it. Buzzing Brian in, he waited for him at his open door.

“Hey. Lindsay invited you to dinner.”

“She did?”

“Yeah. Gus has been asking for you.”

Justin smiled. “Has he?”

Brian nodded.

“When’s the dinner?” Justin reached for his calendar.

“In an hour.”

“Tonight?!”

“Look, you don’t have to go. I just promised Lindsay I’d ask you.”

“But what if I want to?” Justin ventured, a little unsure of himself.

Brian bit his lip. “Then I guess you’ll have to take a shower . . . and maybe change into something less paint stained?”

\----------

“I’m sorry she made you invite me if it makes you feel bad,” Justin finally said on their way to Lindsay’s, Brian hardly uttering a word in the car.

“It’s just a dinner, and I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want you there.”

Lindsay smiled and gave them both a hug when they arrived. “Everyone, this is Justin.”

Letting her do the introductions, Brian walked over to Ben and Mikey, who was reading to Gus.

“Hi!” Michael handed the book to Gus before he stood up and kissed Brian. “You brought a date?”

“No.”

“Then what is he?”

Brian shrugged.

“Hi. I’m Justin.”

“Hi! Nice to meet you.” Mikey shook his hand. “I’m Michael, Brian’s best friend.”

Justin grinned at him and pointed to the magazines on the floor. “You’re into comics?”

“Yes! You, too?”

“I drew a comic a few years ago. A friend of mine wrote it.”

“Which one?”

“I doubt you’ve heard of it. It was just a couple of issues.”

“If it’s out there, he knows it,” Brian interrupted.

“JT.”

“You drew JT?” Mikey yelled. “I have all of them. The story is okay, but the drawings are amazing!”

“Calm down, Mikey. Don’t scare your new best friend.” Brian kissed Michael again and then threw his arm around Justin. “Come outside with me. I’m gonna have a smoke.”

“Me, too!” Gus stepped in between them.

“Okay, Sonny Boy.”

Gus listened to his dad and Justin talk for a while before he ran inside again. “Mom! Dad kissed Justin!”

“Really? You should go into the living room and tell everyone!” Mel grinned when she heard Brian mutter “Bitch” not very quietly.

Justin laughed at them. “So, you and Melanie?”

“She’s great with Gus. That’s all that matters. I don’t have to like her.”

Justin looked at him. “But you kind of do, don’t you?”

“She’s all right. For a lesbian.”

\----------

“Justin, are you coming to Grandma Deb’s dinner next Sunday?” Gus asked when they’d finished eating.

“He sure is, honey!” Deb smiled at him.

“I’d love to, but I’m leaving for New York tomorrow morning. I’ll be gone for two weeks.”

“Oh.” Gus looked disappointed.

“I promise to pick something up for you while I’m there, okay?”

Gus thought about it for a while. “Okay!”

“Are you staying in a hotel for two weeks?” Brian asked.

“No. I can sleep on a friend’s couch. It’s not ideal, but I can’t afford two weeks in a hotel. Not even a crappy one.”

“Brian, you bought that apartment last month, right? Why don’t you let him stay there?”

Justin looked over at Brian, who glared at Em. “No, it’s fine,” he said. “I’ve already made plans with my friend.”

Half an hour later, Gus went to bed and they all broke up. Brian asked Deb if she wanted a ride home.

“No, thanks, sweetie. I’m riding with Michael and Ben. Take care of yourself in New York, Justin!” She hugged them both tightly.

\----------

“You can stay at my place while you’re in New York,” Brian said in the car.

“No, it’s okay.”

“I don’t mind if you do. However, I do mind when my so-called friends try to interfere with my life.”

“I take it you don’t bring guys with you every week?”

“Never. Why?” Brian gave him a quick look. “Did they give you a hard time?”

“No, not at all. But they were very . . . interested in me.”

“They are special. And Deb’s the most special of them all.” 

Justin laughed and nodded. 

“She’s the mom I never had,” Brian continued. “She’s fabulous and annoying and I love her.”

“What about your own mother?”

“Hates homosexuals.”

“Oh. So does my dad. He kicked me out when I was seventeen.”

Brian glanced at him. “Seventeen?”

“Yep. I lived with my friend Daphne’s family.”

“What about your mom?”

“She stayed with him and my younger sister.”

Brian ran his fingers through Justin’s hair. “Stay in my apartment. I won’t be there more than a day or two in the next couple of weeks, and it’s big.”

“I’ll pay rent.”

“If you want to.”

“I want to.”

Brian parked outside of Justin’s place. “How much more work do you have to do tonight?”

“Maybe two hours.”

“Do you want to go to Baylon later?”

Justin glanced at his watch. “Sure. Why not? Can you wait for me?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” Brian couldn’t keep his hands to himself as they climbed the stairs to Justin’s apartment, touching him constantly.

“Stop it!” Justin swatted his hands away. “You can fuck me at Babylon, but not now. I really need to do this before my plane leaves.”

Brian sat on the sofa and read an art magazine while Justin finished up a painting. Looking over at him, he smiled at how caught up he was in his work.

\----------

“Have you ever been here?” Brian asked as they stood at the bar drinking and watching the guys around them.

“Yeah, a few times.”

“Ever been to the back room?”

Justin smiled at him. “Yeah, I have.”

“You like to fuck in public?”

Moving even closer, Justin nodded, his hand roaming over Brian’s hard body. He pulled his head down and kissed him. “I want to dance.”

Brian looked at him. “Dance? Not fuck?”

“Patience.” Justin took his hand and led the way to the dance floor. Dancing slowly to a tune playing only in their ears, he unbuttoned Brian’s shirt, licking down his neck and over his chest before he kissed him again. One hand rubbing Brian’s crotch, his fingers sneaked inside to stroke his naked cock.

Brian moaned and took off Justin’s shirt. He massaged his nipples till they were hard, Justin throwing his head back and closing his eyes. “Do you want me to fuck you right here on the dance floor?” he asked, his breath hot against Justin’s skin.

Justin laughed softly. “Would you do it?”

“I would.” Brian kissed him over and over again.

“Come on,” Justin said, finally forcing himself to pull away.

Nodding, Brian ran his hands down Justin’s stomach one last time before they made their way across the crowded floor, Justin grinning broadly as Brian’s hand on his hip steered him towards an empty corner.

“I want to blow you.”

“Go ahead.” Brian smiled and leaned back against the wall, spreading his legs wide enough for Justin to fit perfectly between them.

Licking Brian’s chest with long swipes, Justin listened to him moan loudly when he reached his nipples. He rubbed Brian’s cock through his pants as he bit the hard nubs.

“Justin!” Brian grunted.

“Do you like it?”

Brian pulled him in for another kiss. “Fucking amazing.”

Justin unfastened Brian’s pants and took out his long, full cock, jerking it a couple of times. “You’re wet,” he whispered in his ear, Brian just nodding and struggling to keep his eyes open. “I’ll have to lick you clean.”

“Yeah . . .”

Running his thumb over the head of Brian’s cock, Justin spread the pre-cum around it. 

Brian shuddered. “Please, Justin.”

Justin knelt in front of him, licking the head and tonguing his slit while Brian fisted his hair and pushed his hips into his face, forcing his cock further inside. Opening up, Justin took him wholly into his mouth and sucked hard. Then he pulled back and started over again.

“Jesus!” Brian’s legs shook as he tried taking a deep breath to calm down. 

Right then, Justin did something with his tongue while he rubbed the tip of his finger over Brian’s hole, causing another stream of pre-cum to ooze out of him. Standing up, Justin shared his taste with him, enjoying Brian’s hard fingers all over his body. “Want to fuck me?” he asked, fondling Brian’s balls and enjoying how full they felt.

Brian smiled, shaking his head. “No. I won’t last. Suck me, then I promise to fuck you.” Inching his hands inside Justin’s pants, he pulled his ass cheeks apart until he squirmed. “God, I can’t wait to be inside you.”

Wiggling out of his grip, Justin crouched down and sucked one of Brian’s balls into his mouth.

“Aah, yes!” 

Justin licked up Brian’s shaft and took his cock in his mouth. When he swallowed around it, Brian shouted and came hard, shooting ropes of cum down his throat.

“Best blow job ever!” Brian helped him up, hugging him tightly and licking his lips. 

Justin rubbed up against Brian’s thigh. “I need you inside me,” he almost begged, putting Brian’s hands on his ass. “Fuck me!”

Brian laughed. “Horny?”

“What the hell do you think?” Taking his cock out, Justin pushed it against Brian’s and jerked them together. 

In minutes, Brian’s dick was hard again, and his fingers crept closer to Justin’s hole. Pushing one inside, he quickly added a second one before Justin had time to adjust.

“Brian, I can’t wait. Please.”

Brian turned them around so Justin was facing the wall and rolled on a condom, sinking into his hole as soon as he pulled his pants down. When he noticed the guys around them looking at Justin with envy, Brian wrapped himself around him and held still for a second. “I fucking love your ass. It’s so incredibly tight and smooth.” Moving with a slow pace that rapidly picked up, Brian’s mouth was all over Justin’s body, licking and kissing him. Much too soon, he felt his orgasm build, making him pull out and take a deep breath. 

Justin smiled at him over his shoulder, groaning when Brian rubbed his cock over his crack and around his rim. 

“Ready for more?” Brian asked.

“God, yes!” Justin hissed.

Brian laughed and slammed inside again, fucking him with long thrusts till they came together.

\----------

“What time does your plane leave?” Brian pulled up in front of Justin’s place after stopping by the loft to pick up the keys to the New York apartment.

“In five hours.”

“Do you want me to drive you to the airport?”

“Could you? That would be great. Do you want to stay the night?”

Brian shook his head. “I never stay the night.”

“Of course, not,” Justin laughed.

Fiddling with Justin’s fingers for a minute, Brian changed his mind. “I guess I could make an exception.”

\----------

Walking in all the rooms and checking things out when he got to Brian’s New York home, Justin reached for his phone in his pocket. ‘The apartment is great!’ he texted him. 

It took Brian a week to send a short text back. ‘I’ll be there tomorrow. Staying for three days.’ He arrived late and had a guy with him, Justin eyeing them for a few minutes before he left for the night. “Where did you sleep?” Brian asked the next day when they ran into each other in the kitchen, threading his fingers through Justin’s hair.

“At some guy’s place.”

“Are you seeing someone?” Brian sounded surprised.

Justin shrugged and went into the shower.

Following him within minutes, Brian poured shampoo in Justin’s hair, washing it thoroughly before gently rinsing it and reaching for the soap. “So . . . tell me about this guy you stayed with.”

“He’s no one.”

Brian slid the soap back and forth over Justin’s body. “Is he hot?”

Shrugging again, Justin didn’t answer.

“Are you mad that I brought that trick home last night?” Brian watched him closely.

“We’re not dating. Why would I care?”

“That’s what I thought.”

Justin bit his lip and started to walk out of the shower. 

Brian pulled him back. “Wait. You’re not clean yet.”

“I wasn’t that dirty to begin with.”

“Sure you were.” Brian began to soap Justin’s body all over again. Turning him around, his hands glided over his back and down his spine. When he tenderly whispered, “I’ve missed your ass,” Justin blushed and couldn’t help but smile.

Brian guided them into the bedroom after drying both Justin and himself off. “He wasn’t any good,” he murmured, lying on top of Justin and covering his body entirely. 

“Who?”

“My trick from last night.” Kissing his way down Justin’s body, Brian sucked him slowly till he got hard. He lapped over his balls and made his hole wet with spit. “You taste great.” Rubbing his finger around his rim, he dipped the tip of it inside. “Always so incredibly tight.”

“Brian,” Justin mumbled when he entered him. Holding onto his arms, he tried to get as close to him as possible.

“Perfect,” Brian whispered, kissing the side of Justin’s face.

\----------

“I can’t,” Justin said into his phone the next day as Brian arrived home. “I’m going out with Brian. But maybe tomorrow?”

“What’s tomorrow?” Brian asked when he’d hung up, looking through some papers.

“I’m having dinner with a friend.”

“A guy?”

“Yes, a guy.”

“The same one you stayed with last night?”

Justin rolled his eyes and asked Brian what time he was leaving the next day.

“I’m not. I decided to stay a few days longer.”

“Do you want me out of here?”

“Of course, not.”

“Are you ready to go? The movie starts in half an hour.”

“Sure. Let’s go.”

\----------

Justin bought them coffee on their way home. Finding a table, they sat down and talked about the movie and their work for a while. “This feels like a date,” he smiled sweetly at Brian, “but I know you don’t do them, so I guess I’m wrong.” 

“Dating’s really that important for you?”

“It’s nice to know it’s not just about the sex.”

“Yeah.” Brian was quiet for a while. “No, I don’t see it.”

Justin laughed. “I guess it really is just about the sex for you.”

Brian looked at him for a minute before he answered. “Yes, maybe you’re right.”

“Have you ever been in love?”

“No. What about you?”

Justin nodded. “Twice.”

“Was it worth it?”

“Yes. Even if it hurts like hell when it’s over, it’s worth it.”

“Maybe I’ll try it one day,” Brian said.

“He’s a lucky guy.”

“Who?”

“The one you choose to try it with.” Justin got up. “Do you want to go back to the apartment?”

“No. I think I’ll go to a club.”

“Okay.” Justin watched Brian get into a cab as they parted outside the coffee shop, turning to walk home alone.

\----------

Coming in late at night, Brian woke Justin when he pushed his bedroom door open.

“I want to try it.”

“Try what?” Justin squinted at him in a state of confusion.

“The falling in love thing.”

“Oh. Well, good luck.”

Brian shook his head. “I want to try it with you.”

“With me?”

“Yeah. You’re hot.”

“Thanks. You might want to sober up first. And take a shower. You stink of booze and tricks.”

“I’m still fabulous.”

Justin laughed. “Not so much!”

“Don’t be like that. I just said I’ve decided to love you. You should be grateful, not mean.”

Justin jumped up off the bed seconds before Brian crashed down on it and instantly fell asleep.

\----------

“Why was I sleeping fully clothed on your bed?” Brian woke up in the afternoon and went to search for Justin in the living room.

“You woke me up at five to tell me you’d decided to try the falling in love thing with me.”

Brian stared at him. “I did what?”

“You heard me.”

Brian shook his head. “Why the hell would I say something like that? I must have been drunk out of my mind.”

“Gee, thanks.” Justin glared at him.

“Fuck! I’m sor...” Brian cut himself off and started over again. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“It doesn’t matter. I need to leave. Later.”

“Later.” Brian stared at the door for a long time.

\----------

“I’m just picking up another painting for the gallery,” Justin said when he entered the apartment late the next day.

Talking on the phone, Brian nodded. When he looked up, he noticed the guy waiting for Justin by the door. He decided to ignore him.

Justin saw the packed bags in the hallway. “You’re changing your plane ticket?” he asked when Brian hung up.

“Yeah. Gus is sick.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Justin put the painting down.

“Just a cold, but he has a fever, too, and he’s been asking for me for hours. Lindsay just called.”

Justin went into his room and returned seconds later with a gift bag. “Here. I bought him some toys the other day. I hope he likes them.”

Brian hugged him hard. “Thank you.” Taking a deep breath, he bit his lip. “And I _am_ sorry.”

“I know. It’s okay.”

\----------

Justin paced around the apartment a long time that evening until he decided to call Brian. He felt himself smile when Brian whispered a “Hold on” into the phone.

“Hi! I had to leave the room. Gus is finally sleeping.”

“How is he?”

“Better. The fever is slowly going down.”

“That’s great!”

“He loved the toys . . . played with them till he fell asleep.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just tired. I’ll spend the night here.”

“Okay. I should let you go to sleep.”

Brian was quiet for a while. “He looks boring,” he said when he spoke again.

“I know. Utterly tedious.”

Brian laughed. “So he really is no one?”

Justin smiled at the relief in Brian’s voice. “I sent him away minutes after you’d left, and I’m not seeing him again, okay?”

“Good boy.”

“Brian?”

“Yeah?”

“I miss your cock,” Justin whispered.

Brian moaned and hung up.


	3. Chapter 3

Days later, Justin knocked on the door to the loft. “I just came to return the key.”

“Right.”

“Thanks for letting me stay there.”

“Anytime.”

“I just might take you up on that offer.”

“Did you get any work done?”

“Yeah. Two small galleries are interested in a few paintings. They’ll call back this week.” Justin hesitated, not sure whether Brian wanted him to stay or not.

“Well, are you coming or going?” Brian smiled at him.

Justin rubbed the front of his pants. “Coming, I hope.”

“God, you’re hot.” Brian’s clothes were off in a second, then he pulled him down to the floor. Kissing him softly, he removed Justin’s clothes before making love to him for a long time.

“You’re incredibly good at that!” Justin laughed after he’d come twice and Brian had crashed down on him.

“I’m going to Deb’s for dinner tonight. Do you want to come with me?” Brian asked when he’d caught his breath.

“I’d love to.” Justin looked at this clothes on the floor. “I should probably go home and change. These aren’t nice enough for a Sunday dinner.”

Brian shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. You look great.”

\----------

“Oh, you brought Sunshine!” Deb hugged them both hard.

Justin looked up at Brian and mouthed ‘Sunshine?’

Brian whispered, “Just go with it. It’s easier.”

“Look, everyone. Brian brought Justin!”

“Is she going to make a big deal out of me every time I come here?” Justin was blushing by the time he ended his question. “Shit! I didn’t mean that you’ll bring me here again. I just . . .”

“Shut up!” Brian laughed, pulling him in for a kiss before they sat down.

“Where’re the girls and Gus?” Justin asked.

“Gus’s fever has come back,” Deb said. “He didn’t feel okay enough to eat.” 

Justin put his hand on Brian’s leg when he saw the worried look on his face. He started to get up and follow him when Brian went outside as soon as he’d finished eating, but Michael stopped him.

“Give him some time.”

“Why don’t you go and check on him?” Justin suggested a couple of minutes later.

Brian turned around when Michael walked toward him. “Go inside, Mikey. It’s freezing.”

“I can take it. Talk . . . What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit! What’s wrong?”

“They didn’t call me. Gus is sick, and they didn’t call me.”

“He’ll be okay.” Michael pulled him down for a kiss when Brian shrugged.

Standing at the door with their coats in his arms, Justin neared Brian as Michael backed off. “Come on. Let’s visit him before he goes to bed.” 

Brian nodded, kissing Justin over and over again and laughing softly at something he’d whispered.

Watching as Justin fixed Brian, Michael felt himself relax, thinking that Brian had found something good. He hoped he’d hang on to it and not push Justin away. Or, rather, that Justin would be strong enough to stay when Brian did try to push him away. Michael smiled when he went in and saw his husband waiting for him.

“Is he okay?” Ben asked after Mikey kissed him.

“Actually, I think he’s better than ever before.”

\----------

“Feel free to call me the next time my son is too sick to eat.” Brian glared at the girls after he and Justin had checked on Gus.

“You’d already spent two nights here. We thought we should give you some time to do whatever it is you’re doing,” Lindsay tried to calm him.

“We know what he’s doing. Tricking, drugging, and drinking,” Mel said before Brian interrupted her.

“Don’t forget working my ass off so I can pay for whatever my son needs.”

Justin walked back into Gus’s room again. 

“Is Daddy angry?”

“No! He just got scared when he thought your fever was really high again.”

“It’s not!” Gus showed Justin the thermometer.

“Yeah, I know. But your dad didn’t know that before we got here.”

“Oh.”

“They’re trying to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“Can you draw something for me?”

“Sure. What do you want?”

“A picture of you and Daddy and my mommies.” Gus fell asleep while Justin finished the drawing. 

Brian came in minutes later, smiling when he saw Justin curled up in Gus’s bed. Looking at the picture, he arched a brow at Justin.

“Hey! It was his idea,” Justin whispered. “I had nothing to do with it.”

“I didn’t say anything!”

“But you were thinking.”

“It looks nice,” Brian murmured, rearranging some of Gus’s toys.

\----------

Both feeling that something had changed, neither of them said anything about it. Justin spent more time at the loft, and when they traveled to New York, they tried to do it together. Brian still walked away when anyone mentioned the word ‘boyfriend,’ but he’d stopped bringing tricks home with him every time it happened, finally realizing he didn’t have to prove his point to Justin.

Lying in bed one lazy Sunday morning, having fucked and talked for hours, Justin turned to Brian. “I need to go home,” he told him, interrupting the book he was reading.

“Why?” Brian’s fingers ran through Justin’s hair.

“I don’t have any clean clothes here.”

“Again? Why don’t you just wear some of mine?”

“I’ve got a meeting in the morning. I need my own clothes.”

Brian dove back behind the book again. “You could move some of your things over here if you want to,” he mumbled.

“Really?”

He shrugged. “It’ll give you more room to paint in your place.”

“Okay, thanks.” Justin decided not to make a big deal out of it. Smiling, he got out of bed and dressed. “I’m sleeping there tonight. I need to work on a painting.”

“Whatever.” Brian didn’t even look up, but once Justin closed the door, he tossed the book aside and gazed at the ceiling for a long time. Eventually, he started to clean out a few drawers.

\----------

A couple of months later, Brian threw Justin’s art supplies off of the kitchen table.

“What’s wrong?” Justin glanced up from the sketch he was working on. Holding his sketch pad so Brian wouldn’t get to it, he gathered his pencils from the floor.

“Nothing.”

“Sure there is.”

“I’m just tired of having to move your fucking things every time I want to sit down to eat.”

“And we all know how often that happens.” 

Brian glared at him. 

“Unless you suddenly hate my art, I’m pretty sure something’s wrong,” Justin continued.

“The girls are talking about moving to Canada.”

“Oh, then you won’t be able to see Gus as much.”

“If I ever get to see him again at all.”

“I’m sure you’ll see him again! They can come here to visit, and we can drive up there whenever we want to.”

“What do you mean we?”

“You and me.” Justin smiled at him.

“Since when are you a part of this family?”

Justin’s smiled faded. “Are you saying I don’t mean anything to you? Or to Gus?” Giving him time to think of an answer, Justin got up and left without a word when Brian merely shrugged. He walked for hours as he tried to decide what to do, finally turning to the only person who knew Brian better than he did.

“Hi, Justin!” Mikey grinned when he opened the door. “What’s up?”

“I need to consult the Kinney Operating Manual.”

Ben laughed, Michael and Justin fixing a sidelong stare at him. “Okay, okay! Sorry! I’ll finish up the dishes,” he said, leaving them alone in the living room.

“What did he do?”

“Freaked out over the girls moving to Canada.”

“They haven’t even made up their minds yet!”

“I know, but just realizing they’re thinking about it is enough for him.”

“Was he mean to you?”

Justin nodded. “Yeah.”

“He loves you, you know.”

“I thought he did.”

“He does! I’ve never seen him spend this much time with a guy before. He even talks about you when you’re not around.”

“He kind of said I don’t mean anything to him or to Gus. And he made it clear that I’m not a part of his family.”

Ben peeked out of the kitchen, he and Mikey exchanging looks.

“I didn’t know what to do, so I just left.”

“Do you want to stay here for the night?” Ben finally asked.

“Thanks, but I still have my own place. What do I do? Give him time? Let him come to me?”

Taking a deep breath, Michael hoped he was giving the right answer. “Go back to the loft. Bring pizza and beer with you. He won’t say much, but he’ll appreciate you being there.”

\----------

“I see you’ve talked to Mikey,” Brian sneered. “I don’t eat that shit. You should know that by now.”

“Who said it was for you?” Justin sat down and started to eat. “If you meant what you said, I’ll be gone after I finish dinner. But if you said it just because you’re sad they might be leaving, then an apology is fine and I’ll stay.”

“I don’t do apologies.”

“Now might be a good time to start.”

Brian rolled his lips inward. “I need to get a bigger place.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, if Gus is going to stay here every now and then.”

“Probably. Or you could make a room for him with folding walls over there.” Justin pointed to an empty corner.

“Maybe it’s time for something bigger . . . with real walls.”

“I’m sure you’ll figure something out.” Justin got up, put away the leftovers, and started to collect his things. “For years, Daphne was my only family. I loved meeting yours. They made me feel welcome and treated me as if I was one of them.” His voice broke, and he hurried towards the door.

“Can you shut up for a second and stand still?!” Brian went after him, pulling him back inside. “I found a place online while you were gone. Will you take a look at it?”

“Why?”

“Because . . . if you like it, I’d love for you to spend time there.”

“Spend time there?”

“Yeah, as in living there whenever you feel like it.”

“You’re asking me to move in with you?”

“I’m asking you to look at a fucking computer screen!”

Justin laughed. “Okay, I’ll take a look.” Sitting down at the desk, he stared at the house in front of him. “Brian, this is a mansion!”

“You don’t like it?”

“Are you kidding me? I love it. It’s beautiful. And it has enough rooms for the girls to stay over when they come to visit.”

“If they come to visit.” Brian wrapped his arms around Justin.

“Brian, we don’t even know if they’re leaving, but I’m sure they’ll want you to keep seeing Gus as often as possible.”

“Yeah, maybe you’re right.”

Justin’s eyes went back to the screen. “There’s a stable?!”

Brian laughed, pointing at the screen. “And this room has windows facing every direction. I thought it would make a nice studio for you.”

“A simple ‘I’m sorry’ would have made me happy. This is almost too much, but I love it. I love that you thought about me having to paint.”

“So you like it?”

Justin nodded and sighed happily. “I’ve never had my own studio before.”

“I know.”

“Brian, can you afford this?”

“Sure.”

“Maybe we can . . . I mean, maybe you can take a look at it tomorrow?”

“ _We_ will look at it tomorrow.”

\----------

Smiling widely, Justin dialed Michael’s number. “Mikey, he’s thinking of buying us a mansion!”

“Oh my god! You’re good!” 

Justin heard Michael shout Ben’s name before he hung up.

\----------

One week later, Brian came home from work and walked straight over to Justin while he was making dinner. “They’ve decided to move to Toronto.”

Justin hugged him tightly. “I’m so sorry. Not only will you miss Gus, you’ll be losing one of your best friends, too.”

“Yeah, well, it’s their decision.”

“Have you decided anything about Gus yet?”

“I wanted to talk to you first.”

“Okay.” Justin hesitated, not sure what he was supposed to say.

“We can make up some kind of schedule and see him one weekend every other month or something like that, or we can let him come here for longer periods during the summer and Christmas.”

“Either way is good for me. It’s fine if you want him for longer periods of time. We can still go there to visit him when we feel like it. What do the girls want?”

“I think they feel guilty for leaving and want us to decide what’s best for us before they say anything.”

“Well, we should talk to Gus, too. But the most important thing is that we do get to see him.“

\----------

Brian and Justin picked up Gus the following weekend and drove out to the mansion.

“What do you think, Gus? Do you want to live here when you come to visit?”

Gus looked around. “Will Justin live here, too?”

Brian shrugged.

“Yes, Gus. I’ll be living here and in New York, but whenever you’re here, I’ll make sure I’m here as well.”

“You will?” Brian and Gus asked at the same time.

Justin smiled at them. “I will.”

“There are stables in the back. And no, you’re not getting a pony!” Brian added before Gus had a chance to ask. 

Gus pouted until he saw the pool, Justin stopping him seconds before he threw himself into the water.

“What did your moms feed you this morning? Cotton candy?” Brian groaned, carrying him back inside. “Go and see which room you want to make yours. Any of them is fine except the attic. That’s for Justin’s studio.” 

“So, it’s decided then? We’ll move here?” Brian asked as they listened to Gus run around upstairs and squeal with happiness.

“I guess so.” Justin smiled at him. “And the girls were fine with us having Gus for longer periods so we can both still work in New York whenever we need to.”

Brian kissed him. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Not leaving when I queened out.”

“You’re very welcome. Don’t do it again.” Justin laughed when Brian glared at him.

\----------

“This,” Brian pointed to the computer screen, “is our new home.”

A smile spreading across Michael’s face, he hugged Brian for a long time. “I’m so happy for you!”

“Stop it! It’s no big deal,” Brian muttered, not doing anything to hide his smile. “We’ll both be in New York part-time. It won’t be much of a change.”

“No, you’re just buying a mansion for the love of your life.”

“I’m not buying it for him, and he’s not. . . .”

“I know, I know,” Mikey said, hugging Brian all over again.

\----------

**Two Years Later**

Brian looked through the window and saw Justin carrying moving boxes in and out of the stable. Watching him for a while, he thought it had to end sometime. Two cigarettes and a shot of Beam later, he slowly walked towards him. “So . . . you’re moving out?"

Noticing the worried look on Brian’s face that he tried so hard to hide, Justin said, “Yes, I’m moving out without even talking to you first.” He smiled when Brain glared at him. “Don’t worry. I’ve just packed up some of my things in New York and moved them here. I’m not there very often anymore.” He continued before Brian had a chance to say anything. “No, I don’t want to spend more time there. I like it here. I do my best painting here. I love my studio, and I love knowing you’re coming home at night. And let’s face it. Even though I do a few shows in New York sometimes and sell enough paintings to make the money I need, I’ll never be a big artist.”

“Your paintings are amazing! You’ll get your big break, and when you do, we can move wherever you have to go.” Taking his his hand, Brian walked them into the house and sank down on a sofa close to the fireplace, pulling Justin down onto his lap.

Justin turned and straddled him, showering his face with kisses. He liked how Brian wrinkled his nose but moaned when he bit his neck just a bit too hard. Running his hands under his t-shirt, he stroked over Brian’s nipples.

\----------

“Do you ever think about selling the apartment in New York?” Justin asked, he and Brian still lying on the floor by the fire. “You don’t spend much time there anymore either.” 

“Yeah, about that . . . You know that the clients don’t want to spend much money on ads these days.”

Justin nodded. “The economy is killing everyone.”

“Kinnetik is still doing great, but I’ve been thinking about taking a break. Not going after any new clients for a while. Letting the companies recover.”

“Okay. That sounds good. What do you want to do instead?”

“Travel . . . if you want to.” Brian looked closely at Justin, trying to figure out what he wanted.

“You want me to go with you?”

“Of course, I want you to come with me. What do you say?”

“I think it sounds great! Where do you want to go?”

“Why don’t we decide together?” Brian smiled when he glanced at Justin. He could tell that he already had ideas running around in his head. “If neither of us is going to stay in New York, I’ll sell the apartment. We can always get something else later if we decide to try it again.”

\-----------

Spending weeks planning a trip that fit both of them, Justin finished some paintings for shows he’d already committed to while Brian drove Ted and Cynthia crazy with every little detail involving Kinnetik. Though they all knew the company was in good hands, no one said it out loud.

“I know Gus will miss us, but we’ll take him to Disney World the week we get back,” Justin said as they left the girls’ house in Toronto.

“I still can’t believe you agreed to do that.”

“What was I supposed to do?” Justin asked. “He was sad because he didn’t want us to leave for six months, and we had a great time making a map of all the rides we want to go on.”

“I know, and I’m happy you fixed him, but couldn’t we have just bought him something nice? Taking a trip to Orlando is something we won’t want to do after we spend six months traveling.”

“Stop whining! I’ll take him myself.”

“The fuck you will.” Brian ran his hand through Justin’s hair when they both began to laugh, pulling him in for a kiss.

\----------

Justin carried the last of their bags downstairs. “Brian?”

“What?”

“A gallery in France contacted me yesterday. They want me to have a show there.”

“When?”

“Next month.”

“Will you do it?”

“No! We’re leaving tomorrow. If they really want me, they’ll contact me later. I just wanted you to know they’d asked.”

“Stupid. You should have agreed to do it.”

Justin stared at him. “Thank god it’s my decision and not yours. Don’t you want me to go with you?”

“It doesn’t matter what I want. You need to do things for you, not for me.”

“Brian, I’m not giving up my career to travel with you. I’m just putting it on hold.”

Brian nodded and pulled Justin down onto his lap. “I won’t ask you if you’re sure because I know you are, but I would have understood if you’d said yes to them.”

“I know. I love you.”

“Twat.” Brian nuzzled his nose in Justin’s neck.

\----------

“I promise to take good care of Britin!” Emmett said. “Just think of the parties I’ll throw!” He didn’t start to look nervous until Brian had been glaring at him for several seconds. “Just think of all the men around the world you’ll fuck.”

Brian looked at Justin, not saying a word. Although they hadn’t told anyone, they’d been monogamous for several months. What they did in bed had never been anyone’s business but theirs.

Ted had agreed to drive them to the airport even though he knew he’d have to listen to Brian tell him everything he already knew about Kinnetik one last time. He smiled as he watched them say good-bye to everyone who’d come out to wave them off.

\----------

“I’m so happy we decided to do this,” Justin said when the plane finally took off.

“This?” Brian removed a box from his pocket, opening it and showing Justin the two rings inside. The smile on Justin’s face told him he’d made the right decision. “You like them?”

“I love them!” Justin traced them with the tip of his finger. “But we agreed on no rings and that the wedding was just a formality - papers that needed to be signed in case something should happen.”

“You’re right; we don’t need them. But you want one, don’t you? Just as you want a huge party to celebrate with our family and friends when we come back home again?”

Justin blushed a little. “How did you know?”

“I’m your husband. It’s my job to know.” Brian kissed him deeply as he slid one of the rings onto his finger.

Justin put the other one on Brian’s finger and held their hands tightly together, Brian kissing the side of his face and whispering how much he loved him.

The flight attendant smiled when she served them champagne. “Happy honeymoon, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Kinney!”


End file.
